Anatomy of the Perfect Salad

You don’t have to be a master chef or a nutritionist to know how to build the perfect salad. What you need are a few simple instructions, and ingredients you can find at your local market. In the vegetable isle you’ll find tasty ingredients that will spark your imagination, and inspire you to create your own masterpiece salad.

In my opinion, the perfect salad contains all the nutrients, fiber, fat and protein your body needs in a meal.

A simple salad of a few pieces of lettuce and a toss of salad dressing is a good choice for a side dish or starter, but if you add chopped cooked chicken, leftover salmon, or creamy garbanzo beans with an herby vinaigrette, you’ll have a healthy and delicious meal.

My definition of the perfect salad includes the following ingredients:

• Mixed leafy greens like green spinach, red radicchio and spicy arugula. Don’t hesitate to add herbs such as basil, chives and fennel. You won’t be disappointed in the flavor they add to your salad.
• Vegetables such as tomatoes, bell peppers of all colors, carrots, celery and cucumber. Choose vegetables that are in season at your local market and chop or shred them into your salad. Shredded beets add fantastic color to a chopped salad. Just make sure not to mix them in, or your salad will turn a fantastic color of red and green!
• Lean meats like leftover chicken and pork add the protein you need to feel full and satisfied. Seafood in the form of a small can of tuna, or cooked shrimp and salmon add those terrific omega 3 fatty acids we hear about all the time. Don’t forget garbanzo, black and white beans for that feel full fiber boost!



• Healthy fats such as olive or walnut oil combined with a really great vinegar such as balsamic, champagne, or red vinegar should always be part of your vinaigrette. Don’t forget to add avocado, or nuts and seeds like toasted walnuts, almonds or pepitas for a nutty, crunchy taste.

Authoring a light cooking blog gives me plenty of opportunities to whip up a variety of salads. This cool, lemony salad with spaghetti squash, white beans, and tomatoes fits my definition of the perfect salad. It has all the salad components I dream of–it has lots of nutrients, protein, fiber, a little heart healthy fat and a fantastic flavor.

Don’t forget to add a crusty whole-grain roll on the side!

Golden Spaghetti Squash with Colorful Tomatoes and Feta

1 medium spaghetti squash
4 tablespoons capers, drained
1 teaspoon lemon zest
½ large lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 can Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
½ cup basil chiffonade – see these instructions to make a basil chiffonade from ehow.com
½ cup low fat feta, crumbled Salt and pepper to taste

Servings: Makes 4 main dish servings.

Directions:

1. Poke the spaghetti squash all over with a fork. Place it in a microwaveable dish. Microwave the squash on high for 10 – 12 minutes until the squash is tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from the microwave and allow it to cool to room temperature.

2. Combine capers, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper in a small bowl.

3. When the spaghetti squash has cooled, cut it in half and scoop out the seeds. Take a fork and scrape the strands of squash into a large bowl.

4. Add the white beans, tomatoes and dressing. With your clean hands mix ingredients together. You really need to get your hands in there to break up the squash. It tends to stick together.

5. Fold in the basil and feta cheese and chill for 20 minutes.

What’s good for me in this dish?

Winter squash is high in vitamins A and C. It also contains potassium, fiber, manganese, folate, and omega 3 fatty acids. Winter squash has been found to have anti-cancer effects, as well as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits.

Tomatoes are a terrific source of vitamins C, A and K, not to mention the antioxidant and cancer preventing benefits of Lycopene. Tomatoes support colon and prostate health, and are a good source of potassium, niacin, vitamin B6, and folate which support a healthy heart.

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 178, Total Fat: 7.53g, Cholesterol: 16mg, Sodium: 504mg, Total Carbs: 20.74g, Dietary Fiber: 4.88g, Sugars: 0.82g, Protein: 8.94g, Weight Watchers points 3

Nutrition details obtained from whfoods.org, nutritiondata.com, about.com, and abouthomecooking.com.

Currently, Kristi Rimkus authors her own blog over at Mother Rimmy’s Cooking Light Done Right.